Prepared by National Center for Animal Health Programs Ruminant Health
Programs Team November 15, 2007

snip...

Infected and Source Flocks

During FY 2007, there were a total of 76 new infected or source flocks
identified. Of those new flocks identified, 30 were infected flocks and 46
were source flocks (Figure 2). As of September 30, 2007, there were 38
scrapie infected and source flocks with open statuses (Figure 3). ...

snip...

In FY 2007, 331 scrapie cases have been confirmed and reported by the
National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL), including 59* Regulatory
Scrapie Slaughter Surveillance (RSSS) cases (Figure 5 and Slide 16). In FY
2007, two field cases, one validation case, and two RSSS cases were
consistent with Nor-98 scrapie. The Nor98-like cases originated from flocks
in California, Minnesota, Colorado, Wyoming and Indiana respectively.
Nineteen cases of scrapie in goats have been reported since 1990 (Figure 6).
The last goat case was reported in September 2007.

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 the Scrapie Eradication Program made
significant progress as shown by the reduction of black-face sheep
that tested positive at slaughter and the decrease in the number of
positive animals found at slaughter. This in turn resulted in fewer
new infected and source flocks and fewer animal indemnified compared
to FY 2006.

Infected and Source Flocks
During FY 2007, there were a total of 76 new infected or source
flocks identified. Of those new flocks identified, 30 were infected
flocks and 46 were source flocks. As of 30 Sep 2007, there were 38
scrapie infected and source flocks with open statuses. ...

In FY 2007, 331 scrapie cases have been confirmed and reported by the
National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL), including 59
Regulatory Scrapie Slaughter Surveillance (RSSS) cases. [RSS started
in April 2003 and is a targeted surveillance program designed to
identify infected flocks Since April 2003, 150 594 animals have ben
sampled. During FY 2007 samples were collected at 80 slaughter plants
in 22 states.] In FY 2007, 2 field cases, one validation case, and 2
RSSS cases were consistent with Nor-98 scrapie. The Nor98-like cases
originated from flocks in California, Minnesota, Colorado, Wyoming
and Indiana respectively. A total of 19 cases of scrapie in goats
have been reported since 1990. The last goat case was reported in
September 2007.

[However] the Caprine Scrapie Prevalence Study (CSPS) was initiated
in May 2007, to estimate the national prevalence of scrapie in adult
goats at slaughter. If no scrapie is found we will be able to
conclude that the prevalence is less than 0.1 percent. As of 30 Sep
2007, 1515 goats were sampled for scrapie testing. None have tested
positive for scrapie.

See full report here:

--
Communicated by:
Terry S. Singeltary Sr.

[The anomaly in caprine scrapies cases in FY 2007, none and one, is
not explained. Possibly the positive was not from a CSPS sampled flock.

Terry has kindly provided some background on "infected" and "source"
flocks. First the simple definitions:
Infected: Flock that has had one positive scrapie animal diagnosed
within the flock or that lambed in the flock.
Source: Flock where one or more infected animals were born, if
diagnosed at under 72 months of age.

As of 2001:
Infected flock: Any flock in which an APHIS representative or a State
representative has determined an animal to be a scrapie-positive
animal after 31 Mar 1989. A flock will no longer be an infected flock
after it has completed the requirements of a flock plan.
Source flock: A flock in which a Veterinary Services representative
has determined that at least 2 animals, that were diagnosed as
scrapie-positive animals at an age of 54 months or less, were born.
In order to be a source flock, the 2nd scrapie-positive diagnosis
must be made within 60 months of the first scrapie-positive
diagnosis. A flock will no longer be considered a source flock after
it has completed the requirements of a flock plan.

But in 2006 a Source flock is defined as follows:
Source flock: A flock in which a State or APHIS representative has
determined that at least one animal was born that was diagnosed as a
scrapie-positive animal at an age of 72 months or less. The
determination that an animal was born in a flock will be based on
such information as the presence of official identification on the
animal traceable to the flock, the presence of other identification
on the animal that is listed on the bill of sale, or other evidence,
such as registry records, to show that a scrapie-positive animal was
born in the flock, combined with the absence of records indicating
that the animal was purchased from outside and added to the flock. If
DNA from the animal was previously collected by an accredited
veterinarian and stored at an approved genotyping laboratory, or if
DNA collection and storage are required for breed registration and
the breed registration has appropriate safeguards in place to ensure
the integrity of the banking process, the owner may request
verification of the animal's identity based on DNA comparison if
adequate records and identification have been maintained by the owner
and the repository to show that the archived DNA is that of the
animal that has been traced to the flock. The owner will be
responsible for all costs for the DNA comparison. A flock will no
longer be a source flock after it has completed the requirements of a
flock plan.

Nor98 is a prion disease of old sheep and goats. This atypical form of scrapie was first
described in Norway in 1998. Several features of Nor98 were shown to be different
from classical scrapie including the distribution of disease associated prion protein
(PrPd) accumulation in the brain. The cerebellum is generally the most affected brain
area in Nor98. The study here presented aimed at adding information on the
neuropathology in the cerebellum of Nor98 naturally affected sheep of various
genotypes in Sweden and Norway. A panel of histochemical and immunohistochemical
(IHC) stainings such as IHC for PrPd, synaptophysin, glial fibrillary acidic protein,
amyloid, and cell markers for phagocytic cells were conducted. The type of histological
lesions and tissue reactions were evaluated. The types of PrPd deposition were
characterized. The cerebellar cortex was regularly affected, even though there was a
variation in the severity of the lesions from case to case. Neuropil vacuolation was
more marked in the molecular layer, but affected also the granular cell layer. There was
a loss of granule cells. Punctate deposition of PrPd was characteristic. It was
morphologically and in distribution identical with that of synaptophysin, suggesting
that PrPd accumulates in the synaptic structures. PrPd was also observed in the
granule cell layer and in the white matter. The pathology features of Nor98 in the
cerebellum of the affected sheep showed similarities with those of sporadic
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.

How many of you out there keep a journal of your hunting trips or outings? I started to about 20 years ago and then moved them from a journal to a story that I will send out to my friends so that they can enjoy the time as well. I'll aslo put into the journal the scouting trips that go along with the hunts of limited or once in a lifetime hunts.
I have found that if you buy a small notebook that fits into your shirt pocket and take it with you when you head out is the...